Marathon season in full swing
Marathon season in full swing
Please see this week’s update for Kent AC members – 14/04/24–
KENT AC NEWS BULLETIN
14 April 2024
A quick mention for those who raced at Open Meets last week. At Tonbridge Open Meet in the 1500m, Guy Barnett came 5th overall in 4:12:93 and Ben Parker ran 5:07:19.
Photo credit: Mark Hookway
Over at the Watford Open, Jasper Jones came third in his heat in 4:21:32 and Luke Overett Somnier placed second in his heat in 4:36:84.
Meanwhile Olly Buck raced the 3000m in 8:58:26.
Back to this week, it was a busy few days at Battersea Park kicking off with FNUL 10k.
Results:
Nick Torry – 30:28
Ben Clarke – 31:26
Calum Fraser – 33:44
Phil Sanders – 33:48
Alistair Mcmaster – 34:17
Nick Acfield – 34:27
Samuel Dames – 34:44
Thomas Thain – 35:52
Rich Giles – 35:58
Lara Bromilow – 36:23
Tim Sharp – 37:19
Kent AC crew
Onto Saturday, still at Battersea Park, Amy Clements ran a road 5k PB in 16:38.
Alex Robbins and Luke Armitage took on the 10k, finishing in 40:39 and 42:00.
There was a strong turnout for parkrun at Dulwich with Owen Hind taking the win in 15:13 and ranking 4th male in the 10 fastest UK parkrun times for the weekend. A shoutout also to Cat Gillespie for running the course in 17:44 and ranking 10th female.
Today has been a busy day of racing, here is a breakdown of results below.
Reading Half Marathon
John Gilchrist – 80:26
Paul Butler – 1:40:31
Rotterdam Marathon
Stuart Beaney – 3:01:24
Matt Moroney – 3:19:50
Pre-race posing
Lake Garda Marathon
Che Compton – 2:57:39
Manchester Marathon
Catherine Kandie – 2:54:21
Arejeet Nag – 2:54:58
Harry Massingham – 2:55:39
Samuel Taylor – 2:57:20
Michael Gibson – 2:57:23
Chris Travis – 2:57:40
Colin Holmes – 2:58:54
Rich Jones – 3:42:31
Martin Morgan – 3:50:24
Anna Delis – 3:57:21
Jo Wint – 3:58:51
Jo Mott – 4:12:36
Natalie Cook – 4:16:50
Kimberly Parker – 4:27:50
Callum Cant – 4:46:13
Post-race glow
Well done to every one who raced this week, there have been many fantastic results.
If this has inspired you to sign up to one, the SAL starts next month and is a great opportunity to be involved in a club event and compete in various track and field fixtures, more info further down.
Also a huge congratulations to Ross Braden who has been selected to represent England at the Copenhagen Marathon!
Next Saturday, a group of Kent AC runners will be taking on the Podium 5k at Dulwich Park.
If you’re around, come to spectate. The race timings are here.
Then onto London Marathon a week today! For those racing and cheering, drinks will be held at The Chandos in Charing Cross. Hope to see you many of you there to celebrate.
OPEN POSITION FOR WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY CO-CAPTAIN
After more than 3 years as the women’s XC captain and then as co-captain Sarah Crichton is stepping down. Sarah has been an invaluable leader both in the role as xc captain/co-captain and as a welcoming and very active member of the club. The amount Sarah does for the club, often behind the scenes, is immense so we can’t thank Sarah enough for all her time, effort and contributions.
The role of xc co-captain involves collaborating with the other captains to gather race interest, execute race communication, input race entries, arrange travel and race-day activities, write race reports and represent the xc captains at committee meetings (womens xc co-captains share a vote when a vote is required as the role is shared). We represent the membership to work on the season’s goals, and to build enthusiasm for races.
The committee will accept nominations for the position, and if there is more than one person interested, the committee will welcome statements for the position and then vote.
If you are interested in applying and/or have questions about the role, please email or text/WhatsApp Gen Blanch – +447828888031.
CLUB DRAW
There was no winner for this month’s club £250 draw, therefore we have a rollover.
Number 33 was the bonus ball last Saturday which is one of our two untaken numbers this year.
Next month’s prize will be £500!
If you are interested in taking either of the remaining numbers for just £6/month, email David here.
HELLO SUMMER TRACK RACING
With the relays behind us, it’s time to look forward to sunny days on the track! The Southern Athletics League is back, with the first meet taking place in Dartford on Saturday 18 May on a snazzy blue track.
Get your spikes out and put your name down for an event (or three) on the spreadsheet.
And if you feel tempted to try something new, give it a shot and see where it takes you!
Further SAL dates:
Sat 15 June – Thurrock
Sun 14 July – St Albans
Sat 17 Aug – Ware
DULWICH AND BECKENHAM RELAYS
If you’re looking for some fun races to fill in the gap between spring road season and cross country, we have a couple of local events that are always well attended by Kent, with plenty of success.
On Wednesday 22nd May there are the Beckenham Relays – teams of 3 running around Beckenham Place Park. We will be entering multiple teams, there’s electronic timing and it’s well-organised and competitive.
On Wednesday 19th June, there are the Dulwich Relays in the equally familiar Dulwich Park – one lap each (just under one mile) As with Beckenham, we will have many teams entered, men’s and women’s and split by age category.
Both of them are friendly, social events, although taken seriously on the course, as ever.
Do sign up here if you’re interested, whatever your ability.
MASTERS RELAYS
Sign up is now open for the British Masters Road Relays at Mallory Park, Leicester –
the biggest Masters road event in the UK on Saturday the 25th May 2024.
The Relays are billed as ‘the biggest masters road event’ so therefore we’d like to enter men’s and women’s teams in as many vets categories as possible (35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74 and 75+) and we’d like to aim for as many medals as possible too!
The course is a traffic free 3 mile loop around a lake for each leg on tarmac, with licensed café on site and camping available. It is possible to get there on time via public or private transport on the day, and the club will contribute to transport costs, so please embrace the opportunity of travelling to and running at Mallory Park.
Further details are here and the all important sign up sheet is here.
If you have any questions, then contact Jules, Nicky or Lin.
A SUMMER ADVENTURE CALLS
Our co-President Len Reilly has floated an idea for a couple of challenges for the summer, if we can get enough participants.
Welsh 3000’ peaks in a day.
This is a tough day out taking in all 15 summits over 3000’ in Snowdonia (Eryri as it is now). Its 24 miles summit-to-summit and maybe 30 road to road, with about 4000m of up and down, some of it over rough rocky steep loose terrain, and no guarantee of good weather.
I’m already committed to this on weekend 29/30 June.
I have inexpensive characterful basic bunkhouse accommodation for up 13 people and perfectly located for this. It’ll need cars to get there and a couple of supporters to take people to the start and to minister supplies at the road crossings.
More here: https://www.welsh3000s.co.uk/
London Loop in 24 hours
The London Loop is a 150 mile (poorly) signposted walk starting (or finishing) in Erith and finishing (or starting) in Purfleet and following paths roughly inside the M25. It breaks down into anything between 16 and 24 sections, their ends reachable by public transport, mostly trains. The challenge would be to do it as a relay in a single 24 hour push. A quick calculation gives an average moving speed of 10 min miles and my experience of doing bits of it shows that’s not easy, and that’s in daylight and for some of the time knowing where I am. It’ll need good planning, good navigation, extensive use of Oyster cards, a short night and occasional use of headtorches. And maybe some route reccing before.
We would need to start in the middle of the day to take advantage of the 24 hour trains that serve west London and the easy night time navigation along the canals.
Weekends of 22/23 June or13/14 or 27/28 July are possibilities, or even midweek.
If there were lots of interest we could have one squad going clockwise and the other the other way.
More here:
https://innerlondonramblers.org.uk/ideasforwalks/loop-guides.html
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
A summary of dates for your diary
April
21 – London Marathon (club champs)
May
5 – KYAL – Norman Park
18 – Southern Athletics League – Dartford
22 – Beckenham Relays – BPP
25 – Masters Relays – Leicester
June
15 – Southern Athletics League – Thurrock
19 – Dulwich Relays – Dulwich Park
22 – KYAL – Medway
July
14 – Southern Athletics League – St Albans
28 – KYAL – Norman Park
August
3 – 10k Sri Chimnoy Battersea Park (club champs)
10 – KYAL – Dartford
17 – Southern Athletics League – Ware
September
1 – Big Half (club champs)
EASYFUNDRAISING
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You can also install a helpful Chrome extension, which prompts you to donate whenever doing any online shopping – really handy
TRACK, TRACK, TRACK
Buy your track pass here.
The usual track times are:
Tuesday 17:30 – 20:30
Thursday 18:00 – 20:30
Sunday 09:00 – 11:30
Please note that individuals are permitted to do their own sessions during club opening times, but coached group sessions continue to take priority.
Track Pass – Juniors
Please purchase your £5 junior monthly track pass in advance here. When purchasing the track pass can parents/guardians please enter the athlete’s name when completing the transaction
Please see a helpful FAQs guide here
Ladywell Arena has opening hours dedicated to the public. While during these times the Kent AC track pass is not valid, members can pay for an individual session.
Session times are:
Monday: 07:00 -15:00
Tuesday – Thursday: 1300 -1700
Friday: 07:00 – 15:00
Saturday – Sunday: 09:00-15:00
Price:
Adult resident: £2.70
Adult non resident: £3.00
Junior (U16): £1.30
The Kent AC track pass continues to be required for training on Tues/Thurs evenings and Sunday mornings.
Track staff have encouraged people to double check the opening hours before their training session, as they may occasionally be closed for school sport days and football friendlies. Hours can be checked here. This will likely suit members who can’t make training sessions but would like to train in the morning/lunchtime/evening.
Pay as you go fees can either be paid via cash to the desk or using the Better app (note: staff are working to add the sessions to the app).
KEEP US UPDATED
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